Brake-beam



2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. N. BARR. BRAKE BEAM.

(No Model.)

No. 547,136. Patented Oct. 1, 1895.

WITH/58858:

ATTORNEY.

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2 Sheet e et 2. I J.N R

N9. 547,136. Patented Oct. 1, 1895.

W 4 ATTOR I UNHE STATES :ATENT rrrcn.

JACOB N. BARR, OF MILWAUKEE, VISCONSIN.

BRAKE-BEAM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 547,136, dated October 1, 1895.

Application filed March 22, 1895. Serial No. 542,813. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACOB N. BARR, of Milwaukee, county of Milwaukee, and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Brake-Beams, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to metallic brake-beams, the object being to provide a beam which will possess great strength and rigidity and which will comprise but a few parts or members; and with these ends in view my invention consists incombining with a compression member having brake-heads applied thereto a truss rod or band extending longitudinally of the compression member wholly around the same on both sides and the two brake-heads and serving to hold the latter firmly in place.

The invention also consists in the details of construction and combination of parts here inafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved brake-beam, one end being shown partly in section. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the lineaaof the preceding figures. Fig. at is an elevation, and Fig. 5 is a sectional View, of a device for varying the tension of the truss-band. Figs. 6 and 7 are similar views of a modification of the same.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a compression member, which may be solid, but which for the purposes of lightness and strength I prefer to form of a section of twoinch wrought-iron pipe, the ends of which are seated in circular sockets 2, formed in the inner sides of two brake heads 3. These brake-heads have projecting from their front faces, on the opposite sides of the center, the usual lugs 4 for the brake-shoes, and each of the heads is formed on its front and rear and outer sides with a continuous groove 5, extending in a line with the compression member and adapted to receive a truss rod or band 6, extending longitudinally of the beam on both sides wholly around the same from end to end and over the two brake-heads. At the center of the beam the truss-rod extends in a groove in one end of a strut 7, the opposite end of the strut being provided with a circular opening through which the compression member extends, the extreme rear end of the strut being formed also with a groove 8 to receive the truss-band at the point.

The truss-band when applied as described serves to firmly hold the brake-heads in place on the ends of the compression member, and it binds the entire structure firmly, bracing and strengthening the beam asawhole. The grooves in the brake-heads and ends of the strut prevent the band from slipping off sidewise, while at the opposite edges of the rear end of the strut the truss-band is bent inward, forming two shoulders 8, which effectually prevent any endwise movement of the band and any resulting unequal strain on the parts.

The parts are preferably assembled by heat ing the truss-band to a red heat, after which the brake-heads are placed in position at the opposite ends of the band. The compression member is then slipped through the strut and these two placed within the band, with the latter extending in the grooves in the ends of the strut and the ends of the compression member standing opposite the sockets in the heads. On cooling the contraction of the truss-band will draw the parts together and seat the ends of the compression members firmly in the sockets in the brake-heads, and the beam as a whole will be firmly bound as a practically solid structure.

It will be observed that my beam when constructed in the manner described is composed of but few parts, the usual bolts, nuts, rivets, and other fastening devices which are used in connection with beams in which the trussrod does not encircle the compression member being dispensed with and the contraction of the truss-band serving to hold the parts firmly in position.

It will be understood, of course, that myinvention in this respect is not to be limited to the particular manner described for assembling the parts by heating the truss-band, for the latter may be separated and passed around the compression member and brake heads and its ends secured and drawn together in any suitable manner, as by a turnbuckle or otherwise. The essence of the in.= vention in this respect resides in combining with a compression member and. brake-heads a truss-band passing around the same and serving to hold the parts firmly together.

ILO

To prevent the excessive side motion of the beam, which is apt to occur in practice, I provide guard-fingers 9 at opposite ends of the beam which when the latter is in position extend horizontally at the inner sides of the car-wheels, and which by encountering the same serve as stops to limit the motion of the beam. Instead, however, of fixing these fingers, as heretofore, to the compression member or to the truss-rod I secure them to the brake-heads, the fingers being in the form of rods having their inner ends bent laterally and firmly seated in sockets in the inner side of the brake-heads a slight distance above the compression member, the free ends of the fingers extending forward horizontally, as plainly shown in the drawings.

In order to provide for maintaining the truss-band at the proper tension, and in order to tighten the same in the event of its working loose, I propose to adopt the constructions shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7.

In Figs. 4 and 5 the outer side of the brake head, where the band engages it, is in the form of a separable block 10, which is formed with a recess,in which is seatedawedge 11, having its end bent, as shown, to prevent its escape. By driving the wedge in its recess it will bear against the body portion of the brake-head and the degree of tension of the band maybe thus increased and looseness compensated for.

In Figs. 6 and 7 the outer side of the brakehead is not separable, but is formed simply with a recess, in which is seated the wedge and which bears against the inner side of the band.

It will be observed that in my improved arrangement the truss-band extends wholly around the compression member and the two brake-heads and on both sides ofsaid member.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a brake-beam the combination with a compression member,of brake-heads applied thereto, and a truss-rod or band extending wholly around the compression member on both sides of the same and around the brakeheads longitudinally of the beam.

2. In a brake-beam, the combination with a compression member of brake-heads applied to the ends thereof, a strut applied to the compression member between its ends and a trussrod or band extended longitudinally of the beam wholly around the same on both sides and engaging the brake'heads and strut.

3. In a brake-beam the combination of a compression member, brake-heads applied to the ends of the same and formed with grooves, and a truss-band extending wholly around the compression member longitudinally thereof on both sides and in the grooves in the brake-heads.

4. In a brake-beam the combination of a compression member, brake-heads applied to the ends thereof and formed with grooves, a strut applied to the compression member between its ends and also formed with grooves, and a longitudinal truss band embracing said parts and engaging the grooves in the brakeheads and strut.

5. In a brake-beam the combination of a compression member, a strut applied thereto and a truss-band engaging said strut and formed with shoulders at the sides of the same.

(3. In a brake-beam the combination with the brake-heads of guard fingers fixed thereto and extending forward at their inner sides.

7. In a brake-beam the combination with a compression member of brake-heads applied to the ends of the same and guard fingers fixed to the brake heads at their inner sides and extending forward at the side of the compression member.

8. In a brake-beam the combination with a compression member, of brake-heads applied thereto, a truss band extending wholly around and on both sides'of the compression member and around the brake heads, and a device for adjusting the tension of the band.

9. In a brake-beam, the combination with 1 a compression member of brake heads applied thereto, a truss band extending around and embracing the compression member and brake-heads and an intermediate wedge fo adjusting the tension of the band. I

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand, this 21st day of February, 1895, in the presence of two attesting witnesses.

JACOB N. BARR. Witnesses:

JOSEPH CHARLES GRIEB, FRANCIS PATRICK BROOK. 

